With regard to communication parameter setting, the automation of parameter setting using an upper layer protocol is now underway in wired networks. For example, it is well known that a DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server is used to provide an IP address solution for a device by automatically setting network parameters for the device. In addition, network parameters can be automatically set for the device by using a DNS (Domain Name Server) server to acquire the IP addresses of other devices.
In addition, a wireless network requires very complicated lower layer settings, which differ according to wireless communication methods, in addition to the use of the upper layer protocol in the wired network. The lower layer protocols are listed, for example, 802.11b, 802.11a, Bluetooth, WiMedia, Wireless USB, and Wireless 1394. Because of there are a plurality of wireless communication methods using the same frequency, and because authentication/encryption, reinforced for wireless communication, must be set in accordance with a network, the parameters to be set are varied. These parameter settings are still performed manually, often forcing a user to perform cumbersome operations.
According to the invention in U.S. Publication No. US2002/0147819A1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-359623), relating to “wireless communication setting method”, parameters required for communication using a given wireless communication method are set by using a communication different from the wireless communication. According to this arrangement, since parameters for the above wireless communication method are set by a communication based on another communication method, the user does not need to perform the setting by himself/herself. According to the arrangement disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-218730, before setting the wireless information of a device, the network information (an ESSID, mode, and channel) is set, and wireless communication parameters to be generally used are set by using the set wireless network for registration.
The above prior art reduces cumbersome manual operations performed by a user. However, no solution is provided for the problem of security which is in a tradeoff relationship with cumbersome operations and the problem of expandability, e.g., simultaneous registrations of a plurality of wireless devices.
When, for example, wireless communication setting is to be performed by wired connection using the method disclosed in U.S. Publication No. US2002/0147819A1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-359623), wired connection is performed between a given device and a device for which setting is to be performed, and identification associated with necessary wireless communication parameter setting can be completed (identification for one-to-one parameter setting). However, in order to also perform the wireless communication setting associated with other devices which are not connected by wire, identification for parameter setting must be repeatedly performed for each of them by connecting to them via wire. For this reason, when parameter setting is to be performed for many devices, it takes much time before completion.
When wireless parameter setting is to be performed upon shifting wireless parameter setting for a device in a specific registration mode, no method is currently available to discriminate a device for which wireless parameter setting is to be performed and other devices, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-218730. For this reason, the parameter settings of the wireless communication could, in this case, be acquired by another device while spoofing without permission. Hence there is a risk of easily allowing wireless communication with malicious device in a subsequent steady state.